NAPSNet Daily Report 16 August, 2010

1. ROK Policy Toward DPRK

Joongang Ilbo (“LEE PROPOSES UNIFICATION TAX”, Seoul, 2010/08/16) reported that ROK President Lee Myung-bak proposed a unification tax on Sunday. “Reunification will happen,” Lee said. “It is therefore our duty to start thinking about real and substantive ways to prepare for reunification, such as the adoption of a unification tax.” As a follow-up measure to the unification tax proposal, Blue House officials said the government will study ways of establishing such a tax, taking into account public opinion.http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2924679

2. ROK Defense Posture

Yonhap (“COMMITTEE TO URGE PRESIDENT LEE TO SWITCH TO ‘ACTIVE DETERRENCE'”, Seoul, 2010/08/15) reported that an ROK presidential committee on military reforms plans to propose to President Lee Myung-bak that the military adopt an operational plan that allows its forces to preemptively strike DPRK bases if they see a sign of impending aggression, officials said Sunday. “This is a concept that allows for attacks if North Korea shows signs of preparing nuclear and missile attacks,” one member said, citing a committee meeting he attended. Another member of the 14-person committee, headed by former professor Rhee Sang-woo and joined by Defense Minister Kim Tae-young, said, “The existing concept of deterrence was an approach based on the idea that the North would not attack, as long as we built up our forces, but the Cheonan case showed this concept to be unsuitable.” http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/northkorea/2010/08/15/77/0401000000AEN20100815002900315F.HTML

3. Japan on Nuclear Disarmament

Asahi Shimbun (Taro Karasaki , “EYES ON JAPAN TO ACHIEVE BREAKTHROUGH ON NUCLEAR ISSUE”, 2010/08/14) reported that the International Symposium for Peace–The Road to the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons 2010?was in Nagasaki on August 7, sponsored by the city of Nagasaki, Nagasaki Foundation for the Promotion of Peace, and The Asahi Shimbun, and supported by the city of Hiroshima, Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, Nagasaki Culture Telecasting Corp. and Hiroshima Home Television Co., and drew an audience of 350 people. Panelists called on Japan to exert strong leadership by developing systems for verifying disarmament and creating programs to safeguard nuclear fuel. They also agreed that Japan needs to take the initiative in changing its own policy and influencing regional attitudes as a first step to establishing a nuclear weapons-free zone and pressing nuclear powers to pledge no first-use strikes.

4. Japan-India Nuclear Cooperation

IANS (“MANMOHAN TO VISIT JAPAN, NUCLEAR DEAL ON WAY”, New Delhi, 2010/08/12) reported that Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada is expected to visit New Delhi August 21 on a daylong visit for the India-Japan strategic dialogue, well-placed sources said. Okada will hold talks with External Affairs Minister SM Krishna that will focus on finalising key deliverables during Manmohan Singh’s visit for his first summit meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan. The finalisation of a bilateral civil nuclear pact could be announced during Manmohan Singh’s visit to Tokyo, said the sources, adding that a formal signing may take place later. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Politics/Nation//articleshow/6300183.cms

5. PRC Nuclear Power

Xinhua (“CHINA, IAEA TO INK NUCLEAR SAFETY DEAL”, Beijing, 2010/08/16) reported that the PRC and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are expected to sign an agreement on nuclear safety, as the UN nuclear watchdog’s chief, Yukiya Amano, visits the PRC. The two sides will boost cooperation in personnel training and nuclear safety in East Asia and across the world, according to a draft of the agreement. During his meeting with Amano Monday morning in Beijing, PRC Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang said, “China has been enhancing its nuclear safety work and has strictly fulfilled its obligations concerning nuclear non-proliferation while actively participating in international cooperation on nuclear non-proliferation and safety.”